Tree pruning in winter – the 100% truth from A to Z about the procedure

Experienced gardeners recommend pruning fruit-bearing trees and shrubs in winter, as they are burdened by old branches, which reduce fruit production in the spring. At this time, the leaves are gone, and the entire crown, including the most inaccessible areas, is clearly visible. Summer and winter varieties of pear and apple trees, barberries, and other berry crops are pruned during this time of year.

Advantages

The most important condition for this procedure is that the tree must be dormant. If this isn't observed, the tree will become weak, losing a significant amount of nutrients with each pruned branch.

Very early fall or late spring pruning, when the sap is already flowing, will negatively impact health. At these times of year, the garden becomes very busy, and it's not always possible to do a proper pruning, while in winter, there's practically no work to do.

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During cold weather, pests and pathogens are not active, and cutting and trimming branches cannot be done without opening fresh wounds.

If the procedure is performed when it's warm outside and poorly treated, insects will enter the tissue and the plants may become infected, as a large number of harmful microorganisms begin to actively multiply. During the cold season, they are inactive, and the absence of leaves has a positive effect on the quality of the pruning. Pruning frozen wood is easier, and the quality of the cut is much better. Moreover, the risk of tearing the bark when using a saw or pruning shears is significantly reduced.

It should be noted that garden owners rarely resort to this procedure because there are a number of restrictions and some disadvantages, for example, snow, severe frost, etc.

Goals

1. To rejuvenate old trees and shape the crowns of young seedlings. If done correctly, the garden will consistently yield a good harvest for many years to come.
2. The procedure also has a practical purpose. Neatly trimmed trees take up less space, allowing for significantly higher planting density.
3. Since winters are not stable, when a rapid cold snap occurs and then a thaw sets in, the branches experience heavy stress due to the resulting ice crust.

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If they're very long or young, there's a risk of them breaking. Many prefer to prune young trees during the cold season to reduce their fruit production, as a heavy harvest isn't always beneficial for the plants. It often happens that after bearing fruit for two or three years, they enter a period of rest and recovery.

Rules

In winter, it is not recommended to prune one-, two-, and three-year-old saplings that have not yet developed frost resistance. For other saplings, remove unnecessary, diseased, and dead branches. It is necessary to prune all shoots growing at the very base, as well as inward-growing branches. To improve air circulation within the crown, remove shoots that are growing too densely.

Branches that emerged last year are shortened by 1/3, cutting them just above a bud. This approach will ensure the tree looks good and will encourage new fruiting shoots to develop more quickly. As for young branches, those that are very close to the scaffold branches or those that grow inward are pruned.

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In cold weather, moth nests and caterpillar nests are easily visible on branches; these should be cut off or removed manually. In winter, it is recommended to inspect the tree for:

• strange darkening;
• open lesions;
• unnatural growths.

Any detected deposits are immediately cut off. It is recommended to perform the procedures with clean, sanitized instruments. A 10% alcohol solution is used for the treatment; it is prepared by dissolving 2 tablespoons of alcohol in a glass of water.

The cut areas must be treated with garden pitch, which can be replaced with oil paint. Otherwise, there's a risk of the damaged surface freezing.

The best time for pruning is considered to be January-March. When planning the procedure, it's important to consider the temperature. Experts recommend pruning woody fruit trees when the thermometer reads above 7°C.